Teacher tenure bill up for vote in Colorado Senate

A big change in the way teachers and principals are evaluated is up for a vote in the Colorado Senate.

Senators are scheduled to debate and take an initial vote on the issue Thursday.

Currently, teachers can earn tenure after three years in the classroom but a bipartisan proposal would change that.

Only teachers who have improved student performance for three straight years would be able to earn job protections. Teachers already tenured could lose that status if their students fail to show progress for two straight years. Principals would be judged based on both how their students and teachers are doing.

They would have to evaluate their teachers every year. Currently, tenured teachers only have to be evaluated every three years.